Day: April 2, 2017

Bikes and beer are a big part of what makes Santa Rosa Santa Rosa. And now they come together in the perfect blend of cycles and suds at the new Trail House.

Every so often, something comes around that grabs your attention on multiple levels, thereby compounding it’s desirability. This can be as simple as discovering wine-flavored ice cream, where two previously unaffiliated trains of interest collide with spectacular results.

Long story short, Trail House, Santa Rosa, had that effect on me. It started to dawn after seeing their early stage social media, often depicting keg pickups at some of my favorite local breweries.

But these are the NorCal Bike Sport guys? What are they doing building a lethally awesome draft arsenal?

A hopeful thought crossed my mind: could it be they were in the midst of opening a business that happily married two of mankind’s greatest assets? This isn’t reckless hyperbole either – if you stop reading and Google ‘bikes and beer’, your computer will strain under the heaping content devoted to this much praised duo.

As it turned out, they were in fact crafting a legendary temple for all those who appreciate good eats, brews, and the outdoors. Being that I hold coffee, bikes, and beer closer than some human beings, my excitement was brimming.

Who is to blame for all these good decisions? Enter NorCal Bike Sport/The Bike Peddler’s Glenn Fant and Shane Bresnyan.

If you’ve bought, serviced, raced, or even just ridden a bicycle in Santa Rosa over the last ten years, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of these guys or benefitted from their expertise. Together they have devoted a majority of their adult lives to enriching those around them through two wheeled machines, and with this newest venture, are upping the ante.

Inspiration came from years of riding the world famous trails and roads around Santa Rosa and always yearning for the perfect spot to decompress and connect with like-minded individuals. You really can’t blame them – can you imagine a ski resort without a lodge?

Although Glenn and Shane had seen a few business models in the ballpark, nothing was close to their ideal vision, and the dream remained elusively intangible, hovering just above an already busy schedule of running two of Santa Rosa’s most respected bike shops.

A big hurdle was nailing down the right location, which they insisted must be close to the highly regarded trails of Annadel. After five years of fruitless searching, the current Montgomery Drive location became available and they pounced, business plans in hand. What followed was a tireless back and forth with county officials and other necessary entities, all with the goal of bringing their ideas together and making the concept a reality.

A winning combination soon took shape. Trail House now stands as a coffee spot, bike shop, clubhouse, and craft beer tasting room all rolled into one; best part of all – it looks great. It takes only a couple of steps inside sister store NorCal Bike Sport to realize these guys pay considerable attention to interior design, and with TH, they’ve dialed it in like a well-tuned racing bike.

On top of their own touches, Glenn and Shane collaborated with Brett Harrison and Specialized Bikes, whose detail-oriented style fit snugly with their vision. Considering the space hadn’t received much love since the mid-80s when it was a Press Democrat newspaper dispatch center, this was no easy task. To facilitate the significant building transformation and often thick red tape, local standout Kirby Construction was enlisted and together they produced a seamless flow between front seating area, bar/kitchen, and bike shop.

Although Trail House carries a smaller inventory than NorCal and The Bike Peddler, mechanic work is unlimited and of equal quality to any other bike store. On top of repair and supplies, they also offer demo bikes from brands like Specialized, Santa Cruz, Kona, and Ibis.

Don’t ride? No problem. You don’t have to love bikes to love Trail House. Its relaxed atmosphere is a great place to read, work, and catch up with friends. Hunger is easily thwarted by an attractive menu of sandwiches, pizza, burritos, and various breakfast items.

Moreover, because the menu was designed by cyclists, coffee and beer offerings are taken extremely seriously. The ever-rotating draft list brims with quality, local brews, and Plinys with your friends taste that much better when you don’t have to fight your way to the bartender, Black Friday style.

The last word goes to Shane, who took the time to share some insight on his lifelong passion:

“Cycling is an amazing outlet. It can be used to clear your head, and bring you back to Earth after a long day or week. Races can elevate you to the highest highs, or the lowest lows. Rides bring people together that normally wouldn’t ever interact. Rides also allow you to connect with places you live or visit on a level that brings a higher of appreciation of these places. This is our community. People from all walks of life, coming together because of the bicycle and cycling. Seeing all of these folks come together at the Trail House is flattering. Trail House is also drawing people who don’t cycle, but now that they are here might become a little more interested. We are planting that cycling seed and watching it grow.”